Regional radio stations stop online streaming

A number of commercial radio stations in regional Australia have stopping streaming their programs live because of a stoush with the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia, the organisation that licences music.

The PPCA has been arguing that radio stations should pay a separate licence fee for online streaming, beyond what they pay for radio broadcasts. However many regional companies say they fear they might be up for millions of extra in fees each year and have switched off their online streams.

Commercial radio operators were required to apply for an interim simulcast licence by the end of last month, but around 220 regional commercial radio stations decided that the potential cost for future online licences was too high. Grant Cameron, executive director of Grant Broadcasters which owns 51 radio stations around the country, said the extra cost to his company would be more than $1 million a year.

However Dan Rosen, CEO of the PPCA says online streaming is a separate right that has been decided by the Federal Court. He said Australian recording artists and labels should share in the profits made by commercial stations playing their music.